Cape Air taps new president

When former airline president Dave Bushy announced his plans to retire, the company saw no better fit than Linda Markham, who was promoted to president of the company Wednesday.

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By JASON COOK

capecodtimes.com

By JASON COOK

Posted Feb. 15, 2013 at 2:00 AM
Updated Feb 15, 2013 at 3:21 PM

By JASON COOK

Posted Feb. 15, 2013 at 2:00 AM
Updated Feb 15, 2013 at 3:21 PM

» Social News

HYANNIS — Linda Markham's focus has always been on people.

During the past 11 years with Cape Air/Nantucket Airlines, Markham has advanced the belief that the key to a company's success is in how it treats employees.

When former airline president Dave Bushy announced his plans to retire, the company saw no better fit than Markham, who was promoted to president of the company Wednesday.

"It's so exciting on many fronts," she said.

Markham has been with the company since 2002, first serving there as manager of human resources. Since 2010, she has served as executive vice president and chief administrative officer of the company.

Prior to her hiring, Cape Air didn't even have a proper human resources department, Markham said. During that time, the department — then called personnel — "couldn't get a seat at the table" and didn't have much say in company matters, she said. "There was an evolution. It became more important. I wanted to be a part of that."

The company now has six HR workers serving more than 1,000 Cape Air employees, she said.

Beyond cultivating a human resources division, Markham and Cape Air are in the midst of looking for new planes.

Cape Air uses Cessna 402 planes, Markham said, which are no longer in production. The company is actively looking for a replacement.

She spoke highly of the Cessna and said it fit the company's needs. The project will be one of Cape Air's "major initiatives" in the near future, Markham said.

Bushy was ready to hand the reins over to Markham, someone in whom he saw leadership potential early on.

She has been in Bushy's "succession plan" for years, and he has nothing but confidence in her ability to thrive, he said. "She understands the culture. She's a great leader," he said."

She has humility, grace and humor, Bushy said, "But other than that, I don't like her," he joked.

Markham's greatest strength, he said, was that she doesn't look at "faults found" during tough times for the airline — such as the recent storm — but "lessons learned."

Bushy is retiring from "active corporate duties," but he said he will still be involved in a number of company roles, such as consulting, teaching and recruitment. President since October of 2006, Bushy was at the helm during much of the company's growth over the past few years. "We went from 19 to 37 cities," he said of the areas the airline now serves.

As for what Bushy will miss most when he retires, it's an appreciation that he shares with Markham. "You don't miss the aluminium or the computer screens," he said. "It's the people. Looking at the bright young people who want to make a difference every day. That's what I'll miss."

Bushy is confident his successor will have a long, successful tenure as president of Cape Air. "She will take them well into the next 25 years," he said.